Safety Requirements

At ITI GGS Miniature Horses and Cart safety is our main priority, and for many years we have been proud of how we can bring children and horses together and all stay safe.

We provide a wide range of safety riding helmets and ensure each child is fitted correctly before they hop on the horse. We also correctly position each child's stirrups so that they have perfect balance and feel safe and secure in the saddle. Correct stirrup length makes you stable in the saddle so you can properly focus on your ride and have fun.

Each horse handler is experienced with horses and is very consciencious about the safety of the children on the rides.

We ask parents to properly supervise the children that are not riding or are waiting for a ride. We provide someone who fits the hats properly and supervises the rest of the group waiting for their turn. This makes the ease of changing riders flow and helps it to be an organised process that is pleasant for all involved.

At the beginning of your child's pony party we run through safety rules, including how to be careful around the horses.

We ask that children of all ages respect our instructions, rules and requirements, as these keep everyone safe and happy.

Children are still allowed to have fun and be noisy.

We have a Heath and safety checklist we run through prior to your party where we all consider the hazards of each horse party and how we can minimise these dangers to keep everyone safe.

If you come to our farm in Kaukapakapa either for lessons, party or an arranged visit you will be required to sign into our property whether you are a regular riding lesson family or visiting us for the first time. We keep a hazard list on site and at our sign in sheet bringing to your attention all the hazards our property holds and things you need to be aware of while you are visiting with us.

We ask prior to your horse party you sign a Health and Safety Agreement giving us permission to run our parties and making you aware of the safety considerations your party has.

Prior to us arriving we ask that the guests you have invited to ride with us have been asked to wear covered footwear as this is one of our biggest safety issues for children. Party shoes are generally not covered and therefore not safe enough to be around the horses. Putting this on your birthday or event invitation is a great way to pre-warm your families about protecting their children and bringing to their attention they must wear suitable footwear to have a ride.

Safety considerations;

No running around the horses

No walking around the back of the horses unless shown properly

Covered footwear must be worn

Fitted safety helmet must be worn

All children must respect the horse handlers and listen to their instructions

Horses and children can be unpredicatable please be mindful of both

Terms and Conditions:

Deposits: A $50 non-refundable deposit is transferrable to another booking, or visit if unforseen circumstances prevent us coming. A great way to save disappointment if we have not prepared for your party you can book in a riding lesson with us instead.

Riding Lessons: These can sometimes be intermittent during the summer as this is peak time for our horse parties. Lessons will then be re-scheduled when we are available to run them.

Cancellations: If you need to cancel your event due to your circumstances we need as much notice as possible, due to the preparation time for your party.

Weather: In the event of the weather causing concern to you or us we will discuss what should happen with you. We can make decisions right up to the last minute, however after our horses are prepped for your party your deposit is non-refundable, as this covers our time. Alternatively you may wish to postpone your party or organise a special visit to our farmlet instead.

Party preparation: Is factored into the price as it includes bathing the horses, preparing and inspecting the gear prior to each party.